Island



UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE.

WM. A. HARRIS, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

HEEL-GUARD FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 28,57 5, dated June 5, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W. A. HARRIS, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and Improved Heel-Guard for Boots or Shoes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, represents a perspective view of my improvement in practice. Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section taken through a boot, showing my improved guard applied to the heel thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

The nature of my invention consists in applying tothe heel part, or to the sides, or to both, sides and heel of an india rubber or leather shoe, or over shoe, a piece or pieces of the same material of which the shoe is made, or other suitable material, in such manner that the saine will serve as a guard or protection to the bottom-s of ladies skirts, or to gents pants in wet and muddy weather against their becoming soiled by rubbing against the muddy boot, or to prevent mud from being thrown up against the dress in walking, the guard to be applied to the boot, shoe, or overshoe, in any convenient manner, either by sewing or cementing it on. It may be made so that it can be removed from the boot in dry weather, and readily applied when required. It may be made of stiff or flexible material, in any way, shape or size found best adapted to remedy the splashing of dirt on the clothes in walking.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The drawings represent a boot with a guard A, applied to its heel or hind part and rextending partially around its sides. This guard is applied pretty well up on the heel and extends down suiciently near to the sole of the boot to protect the clothing, but at the same time not to come in contact with the ground, nor to be in any way incon- Venient in walking.

The guard resembles a-hood, very much, when attached in the above manner to a boot, the lower edge of which projects out some distance from the heel of the boot as clearly shown in the drawings. This guard in the case of pantaloons, prevents them from slipping down over the sides and heel of the boot; the guard thus holding them away from that part of the boot which would soil them. The mud which is usually thrown up from the heel on the pants, or on the inside of ladies underskirts, is effectually prevented by the guard A, which receives the mud on its inside instead of on the outside.

The advantages of such an application to a boot or shoe in wet and muddy weather are obvious, and its cheapness, combined with its utility will recommend its introduction as a valuable article of manufacture.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

Aflixing to the heel part of a boot, shoe, or over shoe, a suitable guard in the manner substantially as herein described and represented.

WVM. A. HARRIS. p

Vitnesses:

ASA ARNOLD., A. W. HARRIS. 

